Also note that support for Windows XP ends April 8, 2014. If you are running Windows XP after support ends, to ensure that you will continue to receive all important security updates for Windows you will need to upgrade to a later version such as Windows 8.

Fine for us but I don't think most of the consumers know that XP is dying in 5 months. Haven't seen any publicity on this from Microsoft. If Microsoft publicized it now, some would buy new systems [in time for the holiday season] which adds revenue for Microsoft.

The only way to keep clean your computer is to Sanitize the HD and install the Windows. No firewall or windows updates can protect your computer from INTRUDERS. Many web sites dictate you to turn on Cookies, (to open the back door for them). So do not keep anything in your computer. Use a TEMP folder and transfer anything you download, or create to a memory stick, or for sensitive things use a 16GB class 10 micro SD card. Frequently wipe out the hard drive with Dban Boot and Nuke. Three passes on a 250GB HD is completed in 3 hours. Make sure to put a fan under you computer because the cleaning is completed under the DOS, and computer overheats and shut down in the middle of the process. Before formatting the HD make sure there are no problems with the HD sectors. Run from Command COM CHKDSK then CHKDSK /F and after CHKDSK /R before formatting with Boot and Nuke. Finally reinstall windows, or the cloning of your HD with drivers and most important utility programs. I use two identical laptops with windows XP, can swap the HD and have the disk with factory program to rewrite the sectors of HD and Flash the BIOS. This 2 laptops are exposed in more insecure web sites where a can get most information from unsecured sites. With another laptop with windows 7 I take less risks and the other with windows 8 is used for skype, and fun.